British Columbia (Colony). Legislative Council

Government

British Columbia (Colony). Legislative Council

• Legislative Council

1863-1871

The first Legislative Council of the Colony of British Columbia was established by an Order in Council in 1863 (22 Vict., 11 June 1863). Prior to that, the governor of the colony (James Douglas) had unconditional power and authority to legislate and administer justice by proclamation.

In 1863, the Colonial Office in England instituted constitutional changes for the Colony of British Columbia, parallel to those already instituted in the Colony of Vancouver Island, by establishing a Legislative Council that was responsible for advising the Governor and giving consent on legislation for the colony. The Legislative Council had fifteen members: five principal heads of government departments (Colonial Secretary, Attorney-General, Treasurer, Commissioner of Lands and Works, and Collector of Customs), five magistrates appointed by the governor, and five members, selected by the gold commissioners, representing five districts of the colony.

The first Legislative Council was convened in January 1864 and a few days later the Governor formed an Executive Council consisting of himself as presiding member, the Colonial Secretary, Attorney-General, Treasurer, Commissioner of Lands and Works, and Collector of Customs.

When the colonies of Vancouver Island and British Columbia were united in 1866, the government administration for the Colony of Vancouver Island was transferred to the authority of the Executive and Legislative Councils of the Colony of British Columbia. After 1868, the Police Magistrate for New Westminster replaced the Treasurer. The Colony of British Columbia had no Legislative Assembly.

Eight sessions of the Legislative Council were held between 1864 and 1871. In 1870, the British Columbia Government Act was passed in the British parliament which replaced the existing Legislative Council with one in which six of the nine members were elected for four year terms. It was this quasi-representative body, presided over by an elected speaker, which ratified the terms of confederation for the province of British Columbia.

The Executive Council and Legislative Council of the Colony of British Columbia ceased to exist when the colony became a province of the Dominion of Canada in July 1871. The first provincial election took place a few months later, electing the first premier, John McCreight. His government consisted of an Executive Council (Commissioner of Lands and Works, Attorney-General, and Colonial/Provincial Secretary) and a Legislative Assembly of 25 elected representatives.

A Government Name

British Columbia (Colony). Legislative Assembly ([1858?]-1871)

Vancouver Island (Colony). Legislative Council (1863-1866)

British Columbia. Legislative Council

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ISAAR(CPF)

Michael Carter 2008-07-28
Revised: RMCRORY 2023-11-21

Central Name Authority File

Created by: Michael Carter